New football league, old faces

By Mike Moffitt

on November 28, 2018 9:52 AM

Josh Johnson, quarterback

San Diego Fleet first round, first pick overall

Oakland native Josh Johnson played for the 49ers in 2012 and 2014, and with the Raiders practice squad in 2018. Based on the strength of his career QB rating of 57.7, and his five career TDs (with 10 interceptions), the San Diego Fleet made him the first pick of the league's complicated quarterback draft.

The 49ers drafted B.J. Daniels in the seventh round of the 2013 NFL draft. He didn't last long, as he was waived before the season began. In fact, his entire NFL career was basically getting signed by a team and then waived or released by it. He threw a total of two passes.

Fun fact: B.J.'s first name is Bruce. His middle name is Edward. So where did the "J" come from?

49ers fans will remember waiver claim Scott Tolzien as the third-string clipboard carrier behind Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick in 2011-12. Through 2017, he had thrown 146 passes for NFL teams, completing 88 of them for a 61.6 passer rating. At least he got to cash a Super Bowl runner-up check.

Here he is hoping things will work out with the Indianapolis Colts. (They didn't.)

Mike Singletary, Hall of Fame linebacker of the Chicago Bears, terrorized opposing running backs and quarterbacks for 12 years. He was especially known for his menacing stare. His record as 49ers head coach, however, was not nearly as intimidating (18-22).)

Fun fact: Singletary once dropped his pants during a halftime speech to let his players know what he thought of their performance.

Christian Hackenberg had only one decent season as Penn State starting quarterback, but the New York Jets made him a second-round pick anyway. He was traded to the Raiders at the beginning of the 2018 season, but waived almost immediately. He has never thrown a pass in a regular season game, a rarity for a second-round choice. Memphis also drafted quarterback Zach Mettenberger in the fourth round, so perhaps they're not quite sold on Christian.

Fun fact: Pro Football Focus was not kind to Hackenberg, saying that not only should he have not been drafted in the second round, he should not have been drafted at all. "Hackenberg is inaccurate at every level of the field, on all throws and against all coverages," wrote Sam Monson.

Steve Spurrier compiled a 13-12-1 record as starting quarterback with the 49ers from 1967-1975, spending much of that time as quarterback John Brodie's understudy. He achieved much greater success as a college coach, including 11 years at the University of Florida, where he won a national championship and multiple SEC conference championships.

Fun fact: Spurrier is known for his acerbic insults, often directed at his team's opponents. He had this to say about an Auburn University library fire that destroyed 20 books: "The real tragedy was that 15 hadn't been colored yet."

Dennis Erickson coached the 49ers in for two seasons, 2003-4. He was fired after a 2004 campaign in which he led the Niners to a 2-14 record. That dubious mark gave the 49ers the first pick of the 2005 draft, which they used to select Alex Smith instead of local favorite Aaron Rodgers.

Oakland native Josh Johnson played for the 49ers in 2012 and 2014, and with the Raiders practice squad in 2018. Based on the strength of his career QB rating of 57.7, and his five career TDs (with 10 interceptions), the San Diego Fleet made him the first pick of the league's complicated quarterback draft.